Honda Classic to Tee Off in March - With Spectators

The 2021 Honda Classic plans to welcome spectators once again to PGA National Resort & Spa March 15-21.

With the primary focus on the health and well-being of all involved with the tournament and the local community, daily attendance will be limited. Those levels will be determined at a later date.

The Honda Classic has become known throughout the golf world as an event with one of the premier fan experiences in sports, being named the Most Fan-First event of 2019 by the PGA TOUR. While attendance records will not be broken in 2021, tournament officials are building a unique and first-class fan experience, provided in a safe and responsible manner while continuing to make a significant charitable impact throughout South Florida.

There will be a re-imagined Bear Trap on the 17th hole with social distancing guidelines. The 18th hole footprint will be different too, but there will be fans waiting there on Sunday when the new Honda champion is crowned.

“We are being conservative in our planning as we continue to navigate the pandemic,” Honda Classic Executive Director Kenneth R. Kennerly said. “We want to do everything possible to make sure that The Honda Classic will be a great experience and continue to make a significant charitable impact on the thousands of children in our community whose lives we are able to enhance every year.”

The Bear Trap, which usually winds around the 16th green and 17th hole tee box area, is being re-imagined into three sections with limited seating in socially-distanced blocks of two and four seats. Advance reservations for The Bear Trap and other shared and private hospitality areas are now being taken through email at sales@thehondaclassic.com or by phone at 561-799-4638. General admission ticket sales will begin at a later date.

The traditional Pro-Am events, essential for the tournament’s charitable endeavors, will be contested during the week, with amateur participants being tested prior to those competitions.

In other words, the show will go on, with tournament officials building a number of contingency plans. Final details on all areas will be announced in the near future.

“With so much uncertainty across all categories of the business, we have really focused on prioritizing flexibility with our site planning,” Tournament Director Andrew George said. “We’ve worked collaboratively with our vendors to delay the start of construction. We are frequently updating our health & safety protocols as we receive new guidance or best practices. And our hospitality venues will be strategically altered to provide a first-class entertainment option while facilitating social distancing.”

Protocols will be put in place that includes the mandatory use of facial coverings, social distancing, and other health and safety measures. All permanent and temporary structures will have complete daily sanitation along with all golf carts and vehicles used in tournament operations. All interactions from start to finish including ticketing, admissions, merchandise, and concessions will be contactless and safety measures regarding food preparation and distribution will be in place.

The Honda Classic awarded a record-shattering $5.35 million to 103 South Florida philanthropic organizations in 2020, the 14th consecutive year that the PGA TOUR event has been able to increase its impact on the lives of local children and their families. Honda Classic Cares is also considering additional ways to raise money this year to minimize the impact of a possible reduced charity distribution because of limited crowds and hospitality venues.

The Honda Classic has now surpassed $50 million in charitable contributions as American Honda approaches its 40th year as title sponsor of the PGA TOUR event, including almost $35 million in the 14 years since Children’s Healthcare Charity, Inc. became the host organization and moved the event to PGA National Resort and Spa. The $5.35 million is impacting more than 91,000 children and their families this year in Palm Beach County.